Throughout The Night
by umbreon88
Summary: step into a magical twist on your same favorite characters as you've never seen them before! Kyo is a theif that takes what he wants whenever he wants. Tohru is a princess who has powers she never even knew existed. Rated T for future content. Review?
1. In The Beginning

Throughout The Night

Chapter One: In The Beginning

"Come on, Mama! Come see!" A little girl with long, silky, dark brown hair and large, gentle turquoise eyes tugged on the skirt of a woman with orange hair and a welcoming face.

"Alright, alright Tohru! I'm coming!" She laughed. She followed as Tohru led her mother through the Royal Gardens. The moon was full, and was like the gentle glow of a lantern. Tohru trotted toward the edge of a small pond and silently kneeled down. The woman knelt down next to her.

"What is it, Tohru?" she asked. Tohru looked at her and pointed to the pond's glassy surface. Like a spotlight, the moon lit up the ripples on the water, revealing pearly white and calico koi fish as they swam gracefully through the clear water. It was like an underwater ballet.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" the woman whispered. Tohru nodded, her eyes shining with wonder. Just then, a frog hopped on top of Tohru's head. Tohru slowly looked up and saw it peering down from its perch. They stared at each other in silence, and then…

**CWAARK!**

Tohru let out a small yip and flailed her arms in surprise, the frog remaining perfectly balanced and calm despite this. Her mother laughed as she picked up the amphibian and lifted it off Tohru's head.

"Looks like you found a friend." She laughed, raising it for Tohru to see. "A frog may not be as beautiful as a koi fish, but remember Tohru: Everyone deserves love, no matter how course or rough they look."

Tohru gazed at her mother, and then smiled as she stroked the animal's slippery back with a delicate finger. Just then, a boy who worked at the palace ran up to them, panting.

"Your majesty, Queen Kyoko. The King wanted to speak with you." He managed to say. Queen Kyoko stood up.

"I see. Thank you." She turned to Tohru and placed a hand on her daughter's head. "Promise me you'll go to bed soon, OK?" Tohru nodded quickly.

"Uh-huh!" Kyoko chuckled, and then went with the boy back to the castle. Tohru stood still for a moment, but continued to walk through her favorite part of the Royal Gardens. She walked past the Great Blossom Tree, as she called it, for it was the largest tree in the garden.

What seemed so special about this tree was that its trunk was so thick; it would take two people holding hands with their arms wide to wrap all the way around it. It also leaned to one side, so it was easy to climb, even for her.

She closed her eyes and inhaled. The sweet scent of the cherry blossoms was as soothing as a lullaby. But then she heard the grass rustle, and her eyes snapped open.

"W-who's there?" she whispered nervously, but the rustling noise stopped. Right behind her apparently.

_KEEYAIII!_

**_FWAP!_**

Tohru had spun around and instinctively threw her hands out in front of her, making quite a perfect example of how such contact sounded….when it hit human skin.

_YEOWCH!_

Whatever it was fell backwards and onto the ground. It rubbed its sore cheek. NOW Tohru started to panic.

"OH MY GOSH! I'M SO SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO HIT YOU! I'M SORRYYYYY!" she flailed her arms and her face was more flustered than anyone could've thought possible. She quickly knelt down and tried to help whomever it was get back onto his feet.

"Are you all right?" she fretted.

"….You've got a mean sucker punch, you know that?" the voice commented. Tohru's eyes widened in surprise. The moonlight lit up where they were standing, and revealed the mysterious stranger. He was a young boy, the same age as she was, but he was lankier and had bright orange hair.

"Er…no. No one's ever told me that, before." She replied. The boy bopped her on the head, which, understandably, hurt.

_HYAU!_

The boy laughed, but it wasn't a mocking kind of laugh. It was a happy kind of laugh.

"I'm Tohru." She introduced.

"Kyo." He replied.

Tohru smiled brightly. She held out her hand and grabbed his, and pulled him along. He blushed profusely.

"Wha-WHAT ARE YOU-" he sputtered, but he was silenced when she looked over her shoulder and smiled at him.

"Come with me. I want to show you something." She whispered.

What could Kyo do? He couldn't say no to such an innocent face. He glared at his feet, red from one ear to the other. But then again, no one had ever smiled at him like that. Not once. He gave a small smirk, but he made sure she wasn't looking.

A little while later, they had managed to wander deep into the Royal Gardens. But this area was old and forgotten. The groundskeeper didn't even bother to make sure it was in good shape. The stone walls and fences were crumbling, and statues were weathered and eroded from time and laced with wild ivy. Flower beds had spread messily out of their boundaries, and moss grew in between the cracks in the stone path. But it was beautiful that way, especially at night. Kyo never thought something so old could look so fascinating.

"Where ARE we?" he asked curiously. Tohru turned and looked at him.

"We're still in the Gardens, but no one bothers taking care of it anymore." She said wistfully, as if she were sad that such a pretty place wasn't visited anymore. "But I like to come here by myself. Everyone else has forgotten about it. I didn't know about it either until I came across it by accident."

"Accident?"

Tohru blushed. She squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment.

"I got lost." She confessed. Kyo sweatdropped.

"Of course." He muttered.

"But anyways, come on! We're almost there." She exclaimed. Soon they made it to what looked like a simple garden shack, but when they stepped inside, it was easy to see it had been turned into a clubhouse. Tatami mats and small pillows were on the floor, and a small chest served as a table as well as a trunk. It wasn't much, but an open door showed behind it. A small pit made of stone was actually a fishpond. A small waterfall trickled down crumbled rocks in the corner of the stone-brick fence that bordered around the back area, shielding it from view from any other perspective.

Tohru's eyes shined as she looked at the sight she had seen so many times, yet never failed to love, while Kyo was at a total loss of words.

"….Wow…"

Tohru smiled. It made her happy to know something she loved made someone else happy, too. Just then she noticed a sundial that was lit by the moonlight.

"BWAA! I FORGOT! I NEED TO GO TO BED!" she yelped, flailing. She dashed off, but not before stopping long enough to turn around and wave.

"See you later!" she called, smiling brightly. Then, she ran off. Kyo was surprised. No one had ever said that to him before. Not him. Not ever. But he liked it.

As the days went by, Tohru came across Kyo more often. They would meet around the Great Blossom Tree and go to the Secret Hideout to play. They became best friends. But only at night would they meet.

But meanwhile, someone far from the castle was kneading his fingers into the armrests of his chair. He thought hard, his face scowling.

"…I want their memories ERASED." He hissed. Another man was in the room. His bangs covered his left eye, but one could still recognize his serious face.

"….Yes."

Tohru walked towards the Blossom Tree, but right when she reached Kyo, she fell to her knees and collapsed, and then lay still.

"What the-? TOHRU! WHAT'S WRONG!" he cried, kneeling beside her and trying to get her to roll on one side. But then, a searing pain seemed to electrify through his body, was over as soon as it began, like a lightning bolt. He slumped over, leaning against the tree. A figure stepped out of the brush, took Kyo's arms, and dragged him into the shadows.


	2. 11 Years Later

Throughout The Night

Chapter 2: 11 Years Later…

_SWISH!_

**CLACK.**

_VSSH!_

**CLACK.**

Sounds of steel colliding could be heard all throughout the castle grounds. Anyone who investigated the cause found their answer as two people dueled in gear, wearing leather armor and helmets as well as gloves and boots. One of them, the skinnier and somewhat smaller of the two gave one swoop, and knocked the other off balance and off his feet. The victor pointed the tip of the sword at the opponent's chest, then backed off and took a few steps back. He held out a hand and pulled the loser back up onto his feet.

"Excellent job, you're highness. Perfect as usual." He panted. He removed his helmet and wiped the sweat off his forehead. The first took his helmet off, letting rich brown hair to fall back to her shoulders. She tucked a rogue strand behind her ear.

"Thank you, Kakeru. You did well, too." She praised. Kakeru smiled brightly, but he was blushing.

"Ah…well…" he mumbled.

Tohru removed the training armor and gear, revealing rider's pants and an archer-style shirt; the usual she wore when practicing. Leather boots that stretched above the knees made the dirt crunch underneath her feet as she walked up to Kakeru and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You did your job. You may take a break, now." She said brightly, smiling cheerfully. Kakeru bended over and bowed, but it was mostly to hide his even redder blush.

"A-As you wish." He turned around and scuttled away.

Tohru had always been cute, no question. But now that she was 16, she wasn't just cute. She was GORGEOUS. And almost everyone fell in love with her. But not only because of her looks. No, she was also kind, friendly, and merciful. An angel in mind, body, and soul.

She walked away as well, slinging her gear over her shoulder as she made her way around the Grounds. She walked past the Great Blossom Tree, and stopped. She turned around to look at it. The sweet fragrance of the cherry blossoms drifted to her, caressing her skin gently. She loved this tree so dearly. But then….

_A shadowed figure stood up behind her and reached for her hand. They laughed quietly, so as not to wake anyone up, and ran towards the pond._

_Why do I feel like I know something about this place? _She wondered. This thought would always enter her mind whenever she was here. She didn't know why, but that's what happened. She shook her head, as if to clear her thoughts, and walked on.

Things had been growing tense, lately. No one had told her personally, but it wasn't hard for her to figure out what was going on, especially when she had many times overheard her parents and advisors talking about it. The Zodiacs, as they were often called, had been causing more problems than usual. They were restless normally, granted, but the last couple years revealed their anxiety and fidgeting behavior. That was why she had been practicing swordsmanship thrice as much. She wanted all the experience she deemed necessary. And to everyone who witnessed her practice, it was obviously showing. She stopped once more, and stared up at the clear blue sky.

"What does the future hold?" she sighed, listening to a bird call as the wind gently blew through her hair, letting it rise and fall like ribbons on a kite.

* * *

VISH!

THWACK.

SHAAA.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE-!"

"Not a chance, fellas."

Kyo dashed throughout the crowded streets, with six guards right behind him. However, they weren't as fast as he was, or as agile. He also was only one person, they had six, and when going against the 'current' of the crowd, it slowed them down much more than it did him. He noticed a stack of crates and instantly he was on top of them, leaping up onto the flat roof of a house. Practically prancing across the rooftops, he skidded to a stop and leaned dangerously forward as he struggled to regain balance at the end of the roof. His head snapped at attention when he saw the guards' heads appearing at the other end of the roof. He looked down and noticed a cart of straw below, and inhaled sharply as he squeezed his eyes shut and plunged downward. He landed with a soft TOOPH, and sprang up and was off again. Thinking quickly, he hid behind a crate in an alleyway, and heard their shouts as the guards ran past, not even taking a glance. With his bright orange hair covering his eyes, he smirked, a snicker silently creeping through his teeth.

He slowly got up, and walked further into the alleyway, then, opening a cellar door, slipped underground. But the cellar was no cellar at all. It was the secret entrance of a hidden tunnel, which had a single torch at one end near the stairs at the entrance. Grabbing it, he slowly walked through the passage, and the light dimly glowed as he stepped farther into the tunnels. And then, he was out of sight, with the darkness enveloping him entirely.

* * *

"What?"

"I said I want to fight, father."

"That's ludicrous. What on earth-"

"I WANT to HELP."

Tohru was standing before her father, the King Katsuya. If one didn't know that Tohru was his daughter because she was a princess, then they could tell because they looked almost exactly alike. Katsuya stood silent, staring calmly at her. She returned his gaze without even flinching. Silence. And then…

"….Fine. As you wish. But remember, don't do ANYTHING unnecessary." He took a step forward and embraced her, one hand behind her head and the other around her back. His eyes slowly closed. "…Please."

"I promise. I know." She mumbled. She would only do what she needed to do: help protect the kingdom against the Zodiac invasions. It was one of the reasons she trained so hard. And now was the chance to prove it.


	3. Watch Your Step

Throughout The Night

Chapter 3: Watch Your Step

"So how'd it go, Kyo?"

"Just fine. Beat it."

"Another bad mood, huh? Definitely haven't changed."

"SCRAM, COW!"

"Ouch."

An anger mark was popping in and out in Kyo's head as he clenched his teeth and growled. Hatsuharu just returned his cat-eyed glare with a blank, placid, and -well- clueless, gaze. Kyo scoffed and turned around, walking away.

"Damn laid-back punk." He muttered. He looked out a window in the hideout, and looked at the castle. He smirked.

_Heh. That's right, you pathetic humans, sleep tight. You'll need it. _Kyo smirked.

* * *

"Tohru!"

"Hana! Uo!" Tohru replied, looking over her shoulder.

Tohru was sitting by the garden pond, with a frog in her lap. But she didn't mind. In fact, she liked the little amphibian's company.

But then again, she liked ANYone's company.

"There ya are, Tohru!" Uotoni yelled, waving. Hanajima gave no such call, but her gentle smirk was just as greeting. The three girls had been best friends since childhood. They had grown up together in the vast royal grounds of the castle.

"Let's go! Picnic! FOOD!" Uo cried out excitedly. Tohru smiled. Besides being a beautiful, kind princess, Tohru was also a skilled cook.

"Yes!" she replied.

The three girls sat on a patchwork quilt, laughing all the while.

"I know I've said this ten billion times before, but Tohru, YOU'RE COOKING IS FREAKIN' AWESOME." Uo hooted. Tohru smiled, but her face was getting red.

"Oh, no…It's not that great." She replied modestly.

"So, Tohru. I heard you are going into the battle….?" Hanajima asked, although it was more like a sigh.

"WHAT? NO WAY! You're joking!" Uotoni shouted her eyes wide in frenzied disbelief. Tohru sighed contently.

"No. I asked my father to let me come to the next fight, and he said I could…" she explained. Hanajima remained silent, but Uo wasn't as calm.

"No way! Is he crazy? Why would you-"she demanded. But Hanajima put a hand on her shoulder.

"Tohru has been training hard. Let's not forget. If someone were to attack, I think she could handle them…" She assured. Uo thought for a minute, and then gave a wide grin.

"Heh heh… Yeah. I'd like to see the moron stupid enough to take her on- and get the biggest ass-kicking he'll ever get!"

* * *

Later that night, Tohru was saddling up her favorite horse, a handsome bay named Katsutoshi. When she had finished slipping on his bridle, he nudged her cheek affectionately. She giggled and held his head and stroked the white star on his face. She had taken care of him since he was born, and the two were as close as an old hunting dog was to its master. When he was born, she named him Katsutoshi, which meant "to win cleverly," because he was very smart, and was eager to be the best in order to impress her. But it wouldn't matter if he didn't; she loved him anyway. Sometimes she swore that he was talking like a human being to her, but in a horse's language. She packed the rest of her things in her saddle bag.

Taking a step back, she took a deep breath and let it out. Closing her eyes and putting a hand over her heart, she made a silent prayer. She opened her eyes and looked at Katsutoshi.

"You ready for this, Toshi?" she asked him gently, using his nickname that only she was allowed to say to him.

_Nnnnniii._

She smiled. Putting one hand on the saddle horn and a boot in the stirrup, she hoisted herself up.

_Let's go. _She whispered into his ear.

Not needing another word, Katsutoshi took off like there were demons nipping at his heels.

Meanwhile, a certain orange-head nimbly made his way through the brush. He muttered curses under his breath, which showed in the cold night air. The next fight was about to begin soon, and he had been ordered to lie in wait for a special soldier, whom he was the only one with enough fighting experience to take out. The problem was, the fight wasn't going to start YET, and yet he had to sit for GOD KNOWS how long in the chilly air waiting!

_THIS HAD BETTER BE WORTH IT. _He muttered mentally.

* * *

About an hour and a half later, the troops had spotted lights coming from the Zodiac troops' camp. The Zodiacs also heard the sounds of horses neighing in the distance, and saw the black mass in the shadows. But they knew, and soon were on their guard and up in arms.

"CHAAARGE!" the human general shouted. The soldiers gave out a long cry, and, like a stampede, surged forward. The Zodiacs didn't flinch or back off, but came running at them. But the humans hadn't expected to see the majority of the Zodiacs being large, muscular tigers, which leapt up into the air and landed on several at once, tearing at some with claws and finishing another with one killing bite to the neck. Consequently, they had knowingly sacrificed themselves by doing so, for many men came up to take their place and kill the large cats with their blades and arrows. But then, enraged squeals erupted from their left, and the human troops were stunned to see giant hogs running through the trees and pour down the hill side. Human soldiers yelled in panic and fury as the giant swine barreled into them from the side, goring with their nasty teeth and trampling them like sagebrush. In short, it was a bloodbath.

Tohru and Katsutoshi stood silently in the distance, watching from on top of a hill. She sadly watched humans and Zodiac alike die and collapse in sheer agony from wound after wound.

_This will end._ She promised. Tucking her hair in, she put on her helmet, and, under her father's orders, had Katsutoshi pivot around and trot down the hill, then ring around toward the forest, preparing to send a signal from within, and hopefully, find one, or even better, both, of the ones who were controlling the fierce animals. Katsutoshi dashed quickly through the trees.

Kyo sat, watching the fight from his perch in the tree, with one leg casually dangling over the branch he sat on. Letting out an exasperated sigh, he lazily looked in the other direction for no reason, and then his body instantly went rigid when he saw a figure on horseback in the distance. He snickered.

_At last._

Using the stealth he was renowned for, he silently leapt from branch to branch, then slowly climbed down when he saw the figure tug on his mount's reins, signaling it to stop. The unsuspecting soldier bent down near a creek, filling a canteen with its clear, ice cold water. He silently reach for his sword, and unsheathed it, creeping up steadily behind the thirsty soldier.

Katsutoshi snorted after he took a drink of water. Tossing his head, he looked at Tohru, then he looked ahead. But then, he sensed someone behind them, but he knew Tohru couldn't. Without looking behind him, he casually kicked a twig behind him.

Kyo paid no attention to the horse. He didn't even think anything about when it lifted up a hind foot and kicked up a little dirt. But then….

_CRACK._

_

* * *

_

**_Author Note: Sorry for the wait! Finally up and running again! ^lll^;;_**

__**But anyways, the giant boars mentioned earlier are based off of real things. Look up Hogzilla, giant hogs in Georgia, and killer hogs on Google and you will see what I mean! O-O**

**This has been umbreon88, signing off.**


	4. Beaten Up By A Girl

Throughout The Night

Chapter 4: Beat Up By A Girl

_CRACK._

The first thing that popped up in Kyo's mind after that: _Ah hell-_

The first thing that came out of his mouth when something hit him hard in the gut: "WHAT THE HELL?"

He flew backwards onto the ground, and he shook his head to clear it, clenching his teeth. His mind reeled. In anger, one might add.

_How the hell did I miss a damn STICK? How stupid AM I? Wait, no! That wasn't there a second ago! So how di-_

Then he remembered:

_

* * *

_

Katsutoshi snorted after he took a drink of water. Tossing his head, he looked at Tohru, then he looked ahead. But then, he sensed someone behind them, but he knew Tohru couldn't. Without looking behind him, he casually kicked a twig behind him.

_Kyo paid no attention to the horse. He didn't even think anything about when it lifted up a hind foot and kicked up a little dirt. But then…._

_**CRACK.**_

_

* * *

_

Did I just get snitched on by a horse…?

He wondered. Then he noticed something, something rather important: the figure was facing him, standing tall and proud.

And holding a very sharp weapon in front of his face. Kyo stared at its tip for a while, then scoffed as he looked up at the soldier's hidden face.

"Heh. So that's how you want to play it, huh?" he goaded. But all the while he slowly was reaching behind him, his hand groping for his sword.

"….."

"Alright then." He continued. He suddenly lashed out at the guy with his sword, causing him to take a step back in surprise. He poised himself. His eyes shown with fire.

"COME ON!" He swung, expecting the soldier to instantly be taken care of, like they all did.

But instead, the figure easily blocked his attack without even moving!

_What the hell? _Kyo thought. _No way!_

* * *

The soldier twisted his own blade and pushed Kyo's away, then swung back at him- and HIT him! A small cut on his sleeve showed how close he had been to nearly losing an arm. Kyo was shocked. Angry that this pathetic human even DARED to think he was better than him, he lunged, attacking repeatedly. But his opponent was highly skilled, managing to block him every time and then counterattacked, where he could barely hold him off! Soon Kyo tried to take a step back further, but this time his opponent came at HIM and took the offensive.

_WHY IS EVERYTHING GOING **BACKWARDS**?_ Kyo demanded mentally. Wasn't **_HE_** supposed to be killing **_HIM_**?

Kyo finally managed to catch the guy in a deadlock, both swords trembling as they fought for strength. He stared down at the guy's hidden face, giving a smirk.

"Huh. Guess you ain't a big pushover after all." He mocked.

"…."

"Not much of a talker, are you?" he suddenly rushed forward, shoving the soldier back in the water. Surprisingly, the guy was kind of a lightweight. "Fine with me, I don't really care one way or the other." The soldier reached for his sword, but Kyo cruelly kicked it away from him the moment his fingers met its handle. The soldier's head turned to him, and Kyo smirked as he held the tip of his blade to the guy's neck.

"Goodbye now. But thank you for puttin' up a fight. First time someone came along worth fighting 'round HERE!"

Suddenly the figure lashed out at him, his sword in hand. Kyo stumbled back in shock.

"H-HOW IN THE HELL DID YOU-" then he noticed TWO sheathes around the soldier's belt.

_Wow. I AM stupid._ Then, grunting, he swung again.

"Well, I don't care if you have TEN damn weapons, I'm still gonna win!" he growled. The figure caught him in another deadlock, but, remembering the first time, made sure to sidestep when Kyo pushed again.

"Grrr…JUST STAND STILL AND DIE DAMMIT!" he shouted, then he felt his arm burn up in pain again, and he noticed the soldier had gotten him a second time. He grunted, taking a few steps back to put his other hand on his arm. Gritting his teeth, he looked up at his opponent.

He had his sword. And his other sword. Then it dawned on Kyo why he had been assigned to handle this guy himself. He was tough, skilled. Only Kyo had the strength to take him on.

_Damn. This guy isn't playing around. He's not giving up without a fight._

"FINISH ME OFF THEN! COME ON! STRIKE ME DOWN!" he growled. But he inhaled sharply when he saw his opponent sheathe his swords and walk silently towards his mount. For some reason, this made him furious. To him, it seemed like the guy was leaving him alone like he wasn't worth the trouble. He charged and shouldered the guy as he had one foot in the stirrup. The figure skidded along the dirt and the shallow creek's rocky bed, then stopped abruptly when it hit a large stone, surrounded by dead branches of a tree that seemed to wrap around it protectively.

THUD

Silence.

"COME ON! QUITE HIDING! SHOW YOURSELF!" he goaded, stomping closer to where his opponent had gone. Then he saw his shadow, which slowly, shakily stood up. His helmet, slightly dented, caught on a branch and slowly slid up, and then off.

What Kyo saw shocked him.

A young girl's long, chocolate brown locks gently fall free and gently rise and fall in the air, and a petite, angelic face, with sapphire blue eyes that would make any man almost melt.

And that included him, too. They stared at each other, long and hard. His was in shock, disbelief, and awe. Hers was calm, proud. Her eyes looked weary, but they held a fighting spirit, one that wouldn't give up till the very end.

And then, her knees shook as she took a wobbly step towards her mount. Then she collapsed. Kyo ran over to her side. As he turned her over and saw her face, he was still dumbfounded.

_This whole time- I was fighting with a __**girl**__?_


	5. Kyo VS Katsutoshi

Throughout The Night

Chapter 5: Kyo VS Katsutoshi

Kyo was stuck.

_Crap. NOW what do I do?_ He thought, looking at the girl who lied unconscious on the ground at his feet. He bent over, kneeling down to her level.

Then, all of a sudden, something pushed him from behind.

"BWAAA!" Kyo yelled, falling face first into the ravine. And it is easy to tell that cold water and cats don't mix. Especially when the cold water is wet.

"EYAAAIII~" He shot out of the ravine like a cork out of a champagne bottle, then skidded across the dirt and rocks on the shore until he finally slowed down.

In front of a horse.

Whose head was bent down.

Something inside Kyo's brain went _click_.

"DAAARGH! Stupid horse!" he yelled. But, surprisingly, the horse was protectively standing over the girl.

The pretty girl.

The VEEERRY pretty gir- WHAT THE HELL WAS WRONG WITH HIM?

Wait, what was he talking about again? Oh yeah. The horse.

He sighed an exasperated sigh. He slowly approached the bay stallion.

"OK…horse…" His footsteps crunched against the small rocks on the shore. He gently started to stoop down. He almost had her in his reach, his head bent down. "I just want to- GLUACK!" he was cut off, as was his air supply, when he felt something snag the collar of his shirt. What had happened?

Well, Katsutoshi's teeth had 'mysteriously' clenched onto Kyo's exposed collar when he had almost scooped up Tohru.

"OK. Now, I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I'm TRYING to help, got it?" Kyo said testily.

_Wait, am I talking to a horse?_

The stallion snorted and tossed up his head, but backed away.

"Alright, now we're getting somewhere." Kyo managed to pick up the delicate girl. Being careful not to actually hug her, he carried her over to the horse, and, very cautiously, as the horse didn't look too happy of having a stranger on its back, mounted with her in his lap. Giving the horse a slight crack with the reins, they galloped off.

* * *

Kyo had to admit it. This horse was a pretty damn good one. One of the fastest he'd ever ridden. If he ever had the chance, maybe he could get Rin give him one of her inspections. She had a tendency to be judgmental about everything, but maybe this time her big mouth could be put to good use.

It had taken at least two hours, but finally he was at his campsite he had set up for himself. It was nestled in a small clearing, at the mouth of a cave surrounded by tall oak trees. Slowing the horse down to a stop, Kyo dismounted, quickly taking the girl off the saddle as he dared. He propped her up against the cave wall, and immediately turned his attention to the fire pit. He hunched over and proceeded to get a fire going.

Meanwhile, Katsutoshi had silently walked up to Tohru, gently nuzzling her cheek with his velvety nose. He nickered softly, hoping she was ok. There was a soft groan, causing Katsutoshi's ears to prick. Tohru's eyes fluttered open. Katsutoshi nudged her shoulder in concern, but Tohru put a petite hand on his forehead.

"Sshhhhh…Toshi. Quiet." She whispered gently. Katsutoshi bobbed his head, as if he were nodding. Both of them jerked when Kyo suddenly started speaking.

"So, horse, I've gotta question. You got a prooo-" began Kyo, who had turned around, and noticed Tohru fully awake, staring back at him.

* * *

At first there was silence.

…..

BWAA!

EEP!

Both leapt away a little farther from each other in shock.

"Who are you? I asked you first! Stop that!" they said at the same time.

Katsutoshi snorted. If a horse could roll its eyes, he would. Kyo gave a low growl. He stamped his foot and pointed a stern finger at the girl.

"Listen girlie, you're my captive. Whatever I say goes." He snapped.

"Um, sir- Tohru remarked nervously.

"Don't interrupt!" he spat.

"But- Tohru protested.

"What'd I just say?" Kyo barked.

"You're stepping on the fire, sir." She replied in a tiny voice.

"Eh?"

Sure enough, the foot he had used to stomp on the ground had actually stepped into the heart of his own campfire. Ironic, no?

"YEEEEOOWW!" Kyo jumped high in the air and away from the flames, but his boot wasn't exactly unaffected. In fact, it too was on fire.

"WATER! WATER! NEED WATER!" Tohru panicked. The two teenagers were flailing, panicking, and running around in circles.

Then the two bumped into each other. Or rather, they ran into each other's forehead.

CLUNK.

"OW!" Tohru and Kyo both clutched their aching heads, with Kyo cussing under his breath and Tohru simply whispering "Ouch."

"Watch where you're going, stupid!" Kyo spat. Tohru looked up at him only to feel his fist come into contact with her head.

"Ow!" Tohru squeaked.

Katsutoshi blew air past his lips, the typical horse equivalent of an exasperated sigh. One thing was certain: this wasn't going to end well.

* * *

**Sorry this is late! SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY**

**Yeah, I've been having on-again-off-again grounding, busy with school (which is over now \(^O^)/ ), or sick. This chapter's kind of short, but I had fun with it. heh heh.**


	6. Getting To Know You

Throughout the Night

Chapter 6: Getting To Know You

Crickets chirped and the grass whispered as a gentle breeze blew that night, with the sky filled to the brim with stars. Kyo and Tohru were sitting on opposite sides of the fire, with Kyo poking the logs with a long twig to keep the embers burning. Kyo kept his eyes snapped shut and his brow knit. His chin rested in his free hand. Tohru was kneeling down, shifting her weight uncomfortably. The silence was making things awkward.

"So...who are you?" she asked finally, looking up.

"None of your business." he grumbled.

"Oh..." she sighed. Her head hung down. Suddenly Kyo felt a cringe work its way up his body as he noticed that tears were brimming around her eyes.

"Gah! What are you-" he sputtered.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude, but here I am asking such nosy questions. I'm sorry-"

"Kyo."

"...huh?" Her head lifted up to look at him face to face.

"My name's Kyo...So, don't freak out so much." he mumbled, turning away from her gaze. Instantly she brightened up. Kyo suddenly felt his heart rate go up a bit for no apparent reason.

"I'm Tohru Honda." Tohru said cheerily. She smiled a smile as wide as an ocean, and Kyo felt his breath hitch for a moment. Then he realized something.

_Honda! As in the royal family Honda?_ Kyo's mind reeled. The situation was both good and bad. The good part was that he now had an even more important hostage than he had originally thought. The bad part was that it would be hard to keep her hidden. And the fact that if this was how he would feel evertime she cried, then he was really going to feel uncomfortably guilty.

_Aw, crap._ he cussed mentally.

But then again, if her smile was gonna make him feel like THAT, then maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. He looked up from the fire so he could get a better look at her.

She was small, petite, with a delicate face and hands. She had big blue eyes that contrasted with her long, chocolate brown hair and pale, pearly white skin. She was very pretty...

"Is something wrong?" she asked, breaking his trance as her brows knit and she leaned forward in concern. Uh-oh.

"Gaah! N-nothing! It's nothing!" he rambled.

_I did NOT just stutter. I did NOT just stutter... Did I..?_

Suddenly he felt himself shiver as he felt a light touch on his forehead. His gaze lifted up from his feet and looked up at the source.

Tohru had put her small hand on his forehead, and immediately his already red face multiplied by six.

"Are you sure? Your face is red and your forehead feels warm." she remarked. Kyo could barely register what was going on. She was worried about him? But he had taken her hostage! Her fingers trailed away from his forehead, and strangely, he almost wanted her not tok take them away. The tickling sensation of her fingertips was almost nice, and her hand was pleasantly warm.

"Yeah, I'm sure." he mumbled.

She pulled her hand away and sat back down.

"Ok. That's good." she said warmly. Just then, Katsutoshi trotted up behind Tohru and gently bumped his nose into her back, like a tap on the shoulder. Tohru, knowing who it was, immediatley took the horse's velvety nose in both her hands and used her right hand to stroke his face.

"Hey, Toshi." she said gently, earning a nicker from him. That's when Kyo remembered something.

"By the way, what's your horse's problem?" he asked, continuing to prod the fire once more. Tohru sweatdropped.

"Ehh..?"

"Yeah, he tried to drown me and then choke me to death when I tried to help you." he muttered, feeling slightly embarassed to admit that a horse had manage to outsmart him. Especially in front of a girl.

"R-really! OH MY GOSH I'M SO SORRY! IT's MY FAULT I DIDN'T STOP HIM!" she instantly went from bashfully embarassed to full-blown panic. She was up on her feet and flailing her arms wildly. Kyo sweatdropped, but then he found the sight of her so excited (even if it was panic) that it was almost...what's the word...

_Cute._

* * *

***singing* getting to know you~ Yeah, originally this chapter was named something else, but I chose this title for absolutely no reason! :D Getting to Know You is a song from the King and I, BTW.**

**I wrote this chapter in less than three days. Even if I started long after I submitted chapter 5. ^ ^;;;**

**-umbreon88, signing off.**


	7. Practice, Practice, Cactus

Throughout The Night

Chapter 7: Practice. Practice, Cactus

* * *

It was later that night that Kyo had decided to sleep in a tree. Tohru had worried that, in his sleep, he would roll over and then fall off. But he had assured her (after much persuasion) that it wouldn't happen. After a while, she had finally given in. She, meanwhile, had decided to sleep on the ground, and she actually had a blanket in her horse's saddlebag, and was even using her horse as a pillow. Kyo stared at her for a moment.

"That's cheating." he muttered, trying desperately to keep warm. He closed his eyes, but then they snapped open when he heard something. He saw her stroking her horse's face, and...

singing.

_There's a song that's inside of my soul_

_It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again._

_I'm awake in the infinate cold,_

_but you sing to me over and over again._

Kyo stared in wonder. Her voice was warm, soft, like a gentle breeze.

_So I lay my head back down,_

_and I lift my hands and pray:_

_to be only yours I pray to be only yours._

_I know now your my only hope._

Kyo felt his eyelids grow heavy. The song was working wonders on his inability to sleep, but now, he didn't want to be. He wanted to hear more.

_Sing to me the song of the stars._

_Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again._

_When it feels like my dreams are so far,_

_sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again._

_So I lay my head back down,_

_and I lift my hands and pray:_

_to be only yours I pray to be only yours._

_I know now your my only hope._

Then she started humming, as if she forgot the next words. Or maybe, she didn't want them heard. Then she sang again.

_So I lay my head back down,_

_and I lift my hands and pray_

_to be only yours I pray to be only yours I pray_

_to be only yours I know now, your my only hope._

She hummed again, and this time Kyo felt he was losing the battle with his body. But what really finished him of was this:

_Oooooooooh._

* * *

It was morning, and Kyo stretched and yawned. And fell.

"**GAACK!**"

"**GAH!**"

His face met the ground, and then the rest of him. He sat up and looked up when he heard the horse whinny in excitement. He saw the horse (That was all Kyo would call him. For some reason, he refused to call him by name.) nuzzling Tohru's head as she stirred. She sat up and stretched. Kyo suddenly felt mesmorized by the thin body gracefully reaching high and stretching for the sky as the rising sun reflected off her ivory skin. Then, noticing what he was doing, he forcefully and purposefully smacked his head against a tree.

_**PERVERT**. _he mentally scolded.

"A-Ah! Kyo! Did you fall out of that tree! I told you it would happen!" she said worriedly, instantly at his side. Kyo flinched in surprise at her ability to suddenly be sitting at his side when only a second ago she had been laying down. Then he remembered when they had fought (and when she had kicked his ass.) She had been very quick on her feet, fluid in her motions. He had no choice but admit:

She was an excellent swordsman. Er, swordswoman. And he was no where near her level of expertise. He gingerly put a hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

"Hey."

"Eh? What is it? Are you hurt?" she asked. Kyo shook his head.

"No. I was wondering if..." the words stuck in his throat. Asking for help was NOT one of his strong suits. And asking help from a GIRL didn't make it better.

"If...?" Tohru urged on gently. She was looking him straight in the eye.

"I was wondering if you would help me practice sword fighting." he finished. There. He said it.

Her face lit up.

"Of course! I would love to!" she said cheerfully.

* * *

Kyo and Tohru stood away from the camp, in a nicer patch of the clearing. She stood opposite of him, her sword drawn, and she had one hand on her hip. Kyo's sword was out too, but he had both hands on the hilt. Tohru's gentle expression turned serious.

_If he does that, it will limit his ability to maneuver. _she thought. But she said nothing. If he wanted to learn, he would have to figure it out for himself.

He suddenly came at her, but she easily blocked him, and with a flick of her wrist, disarmed him. Kyo's sword flew out of his hands, and the landed in the dirt, sticking straight up. Stupidly, he turned his head to watch his sword fly, and felt the wind get knocked out of him as Tohru gave him a small but powerful kick in the side of the ribs. Kyo fell to the ground and panted hard. He had thrown in as much energy as he could in that charge, but now he realized that that had been pointless. If he wanted to use speed at a distance, he would have to make sure he used longer steps to cover more distance in less time. Tohru pointed her sword downward and stuck it in the ground. She walked over to his sword, pulled it out of the ground, and handed it to him.

"Thanks" was all Kyo could say. His face felt hot. He had just made a fool of himself in front of her. Tohru said nothing as she walked towards her own blade and pulled it upwards. She resumed her position. Kyo sat there, panting, when he noticed she only used on hand to hold her weapon. He had always put both hands on his, and he realized that she was trusting her wrist to keep a firm hold. Him holding his sword with both hands only made him come across as unsure of himself, and the thought gave him strength.

_Not anymore._ he thought. He stood up and copied her, gaining confidence in himself. Tohru noticed the look of realization and confidence on his face and smiled.

_He's got it._ she thought warmly. She tensed up, like a coiled spring, waiting for him to come at her again. In all this time they had taken steps closer to each other, closing their distance from each other. He rushed her, and she blocked him, but barely. Their swords screeched as the ground against each other and parted.

"Good." Now, when you're facing off, you want to take cross-steps." she said, putting one foot in across the other. "One foot...in front of the other." she said guidingly. Kyo followed through, and they were both the same distance away from each other, but moving like they were on the line of an invisible circle, orbiting each other.

"Now, I want you to come at me." she continued. Kyo obliged, and she slowly crossed her blade with his, and stopped. "When your swords are locked, flick your wrist in a circle or two to twist your opponent's sword out of his hand, like I did earlier. She drew her sword back. "If he tries to do the same to you, try as hard as you can to hold on, and thrust downwards into his sword's hilt. Push forward and..." Tohru followed through with her words and flicked her hand up. Their swords pulled away from each other. "...and you'll be free to attack."

Kyo marveled at her knowledge of such expert teaching.

"OK." he said, finally. She smiled at him, and instantly a blush heated up his cheeks. She sheathed her blade, and Kyo did as well. As Tohru walked towards the camp, Kyo did too, but he failed to notice her look down and step to the side to avoid something on the ground. He tripped over his own foot, and fell on top of it.

Who would've thought cactus grew in this area?

* * *

**Ouch.**

**But anyways! This long a chapter! Written in only a day! Uwaaa I'm so proud of myself! *See what happens when you push yourself?***

**This has gotta be a record for me...**

** -umbreon88, signing off.**


	8. What Was That Song Again?

Throughout The Night

Chapter 8: What Was That Song Again?

* * *

"OW! "

"Sorry! I'm sorry!"

Tohru was fixing up Kyo's hand, which he had used to try and brace himself, but consequently had put it right on top of a cactus. After much plucking, writhing, and cussing from Kyo, Tohru was close to finishing. All she had left to do was bandage it. Kyo, having nothing better to do at the time, was staring intently at the fire. At least, as best as a person could do with cactus needles being pulled out of their hand.

_Pluck._

"YEEOW~"

"Sorry!"

_Poink._

"GAH-"

"I'm sorry!"

Every time she pulled out a needle with a makeshift pair of tweezers, Kyo convulsed like he had been given a small electric shock. Katsutoshi kept whinnying and snorting, but to Kyo it was more than that: it was laughter-MOCKING LAUGHTER. And, with Kyo being Kyo, his temper flared up instantly. He swiftly got up on his feet and shook a fist at the animal.

"You got a problem with me, ya friggin donkey-GAH-PAAAIIN~" He crumpled to his knees at the stinging sensation in his clenched, and now throbbing, hand. Tohru hastily got to his side, putting a hand on his arm in an effort to comfort him. After a few more swear words, some profuse apologies from both teens, and some reassurance, Tohru managed to finish pulling the needles out. She then proceeded to bandage his palm for good measure. They said nothing to each other for a while.

Suddenly, he heard her humming that tune she had sung last night. At first he said nothing, and she remained oblivious to the fact he could hear her clear as day. But then...

"Hey."

Tohru stopped and looked up at him. "Hmm?"

"What was that you were singing last night?" he asked. Tohru's face drained itself of color, and her mouth hung open, agape.

"Aba-ba-baba-wha-wha! You-you heard?" she stuttered.

"Yeah..." he said, totally oblivous that the question was embarrassing.

Tohru slumped over in defeat.

"Eh-heh..." she murmured sheepishly. "It's something my mother used to sing to me every night before I fell asleep. It's a habit, I guess."

"Oh."

*insert awkward pause here*

_"...n."_

"What was that, Kyo?"

Kyo turned his face away. He mumbled what he had said a little louder, but it was still too quiet to make out.

"I still didn't catch that, Kyo." Tohru murmured. Kyo stiffened as he swallowed his pride (and embarassment) and repeated it loud enough for her to hear.

"Would you sing it again?" he choked out, trying not to pass out from humiliation. Tohru looked like she was doing the same.

"O-oh w-w-well, I mean, that is- er. Yes!" she stuttered. Kyo stared at her. She was really going to do it just because he asked her to?

She calmed herself down, and then began.

_There's a song that's inside of my soul_

_It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again._

_I'm awake in the infinite cold,_

_but you sing to me over and over again._

_So I lay my head back down,_

_and I lift my hands and pray:_

_to be only yours I pray to be only yours._

_I know now your my only hope._

_Sing to me the song of the stars._

_Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again._

_When it feels like my dreams are so far,_

_sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again._

_So I lay my head back down,_

_and I lift my hands and pray:_

_to be only yours I pray to be only yours._

_I know now your my only hope._

She started humming, like she had the night before, and Kyo figured out (yes, he IS capable of that, believe it or not,) that she hadn't forgotten the words; she was leaving them out.

_So I lay my head back down,_

_and I lift my hands and pray_

_to be only yours I pray to be only yours I pray_

_to be only yours I know now, your my only hope._

She hummed one more time.

_Mmmmmmm-_

_Oooooooooh._

Tohru finished, then turned her head to look at Kyo. He looked like he had fallen asleep with his eyes open. Oh no! Had she bored him so much to the point he fell asleep?

Well, no. For Kyo, it was like a sailor listening to a siren's song. He wasn't sleeping, he was ENTRANCED. But modest Tohru didn't know that. She was worriedly waving her hand in front of his face. Kyo flinched, and his mouth felt dry (his mouth had been hanging open.) And he responded to her with an intelligent reply.

"Duh?"

"I'm sorry, Kyo. I didn't mean to bore you-" Tohru stammered, but Kyo cut her off, grabbing Tohru's waving hand.

"You didn't. Why did you leave out one part?"

"...eh?"

"I said, 'You didn't bore me.' and 'Why did you leave out one part,'?" he repeated. He still held fast to her hand.

"Leave out what?" she asked gently.

"A..part of that lullaby." he muttered, not even quite sure why he was asking in the first place. He looked her in the eye, not blinking when a small breeze rustled his orange bangs. Tohru's eyes went half-lidded.

"It's... hard to explain." she whispered. There was a pause.

"I've got time." he mumbled, averting his gaze again. She looked at him for a minute, and then began.

* * *

11 years earlier...

_Oooooooooh._

"Good night, Tohru." Queen Kyoko said softly, planting a kiss on her small daughter's forehead. She was about to stand up to leave when Tohru grasped her mother's hand.

"Mama."

"Yes, Tohru?"

"Why do you leave words out? Are they too grown-up for me?" Kyoko chuckled at her daughter's innocent reasoning. She sat back down on Tohru's bed.

"No, Tohru. They're not too grown-up for you." she assured, squeezing the princess's hand.

"Then, why?" Tohru persisted, silently desperate to know. Kyoko smiled.

"Promise you won't tell?" she whispered playfully. Tohru's head bobbed up and down. Kyoko smiled again, and bent over to whisper the words into Tohru's ear.

"I leave them out because those words are saved for your someone. I can't sing them, but you can." Now Tohru was confused.

"But if you can't tell me, then how am I supposed to know?" Tohru sighed. Kyoko tapped her daughter 's lips, and reached into one of her pockets.

"Ssh Tohru. I said I couldn't sing it. I didn't say anything about writing it down." She handed Tohru a small, folded-over slip of paper. She stood up again and headed for the door. She put a hand on the doorframe, pausing under it to look back over her shoulder at Tohru.

"Good night, Tohru." She bent over to blow out the candle lighting up the room. She gave Tohru one last smile, then closed the door.

Tohru stared after her mother, then at the paper. She held it higher so that the moonlight shone on it through the window right above her bed frame.

"Good night, Mama." she whispered quietly, more to herself than anyone.

* * *

Kyo stared once more at the princess, even after she finished. He didn't quite understand it completely, but at least he knew that she left the words out intentionally. He looked at the grass underneath them.

_But what in the hell is a 'your someone?_' he muttered mentally. He looked at Tohru when she shifted slightly. There was also one tiny detail he had totally forgotten until Tohru said:

"Uh, Kyo. You're still holding my hand."

* * *

***nervous laugh* heeeey, everybody...I know I haven't updated for a while but, uh, that's ok with you guys, right? We're all friends here, right? *bombarded with tomatos and rocks***

**But seriously, I'm glad I finished this chapter, because it was only half done when I last worked on it, and the thought was nagging at the back of my mind. Next chapter shouldn't take so long, that much I know. Please don't abandon meeee~ TT A TT**


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